UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Earlier this evening, Grand Valley State track and field closed out day one of competition at the 2026 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Indoor Track & Field Championships. The day was filled with excitement; five Lakers were named individual champions, including a meet, facility and program record-setting pole vault by Dolan Gonzales. After a full day of competition, both men's and women's teams lead with 47 and 71 points apiece.
 
Day One Results
 
Schedule of Events
Performance List
Live Results
Watch Live on FloCollege
Tickets
 
The first podium of the day was swept by Lakers. In women's weight throw, Shelby Ulven placed first with a 19.06m (62-6.5) throw, Emily Stinson received silver for her 18.13m (59-5.75) mark and Kennedy Jackson occupied the final podium spot with a 17.90m (58-8.75). Sofiabella Amirante added three points to the team total, placing sixth with a 16.55m (54-3.75) throw.
 
The next sweep was by none other than the men's pole vault squad. Clearing a 5.40m (17-8.5) bar on his final attempt, Gonzales became the new No. 2 in NCAA Division II and set three separate records: the GLIAC Indoor Championships record, the SVSU Ryder Center record and the GVSU program record. Brock Bryant (5.04m / 16-6.5) and Cam Battjes (4.94m / 16-2.5) added 14 more points to the team score with second and third place podium finishes.
 
The first and third spots on the podium were awarded to Abigail VanderKooi and Maggie O'Malley in the women's 5000m and Alaina Diaz and Kaitlyn Molnar in women's long jump. VanderKooi crossed the finish line at 16:36.28 to win the individual title and O'Malley finished close behind with a personal-best finish at 17:00.51. Diaz placed first with a 5.99m (19-8) leap and Molnar won bronze, landing at 5.67m (18-7.25).
 
Maria Widmann (17:03.92) and Abby Olson (17:09.24) added nine more points to the women's score with fourth and fifth place finishes in the 5000m. Nyla Reed added three of her own, placing sixth in women's long jump with a mark of 5.43m (17-9.75).
 
Luke Jelderks found the podium in men's long jump. Jumping for 7.02m (23-0.5), the senior added eight points to the men's score. Alec Crum contributed five points, finishing fourth with a mark of 6.87m (22-6.5).
 
A near-podium sweep was accomplished by GVSU's men in weight throw, who went 1-2-4-5 in competition. Sebastian Tesch (21.11m / 69-3.25) and Brandon Schirck (20.10m / 65-11.5) lead the field and took gold and silver in their first GLIAC championship appearance. Michael Griffey and Lucas Lesher rounded out the top five, throwing for 19.62m (64-4.5) and 19.46m (63-10.25), respectively.
 
The final podium of the day was filled by the Laker ladies in the distance medley relay. Completing the 4000m relay at 11:45.01, Katrina Sandman (1200m), Destini Dorkins (400m), Lilly Alberts (800m) and Landyn Howell (1600m) contributed eight points to the team score with their second place finish.
 
Tomorrow's events begin with men's and women's high jump at 10:30 a.m. Just three athletes will rep Laker blue; Alexis Weber (1.76m / 5-9.25) leads the women's field while Marcus Gelpi (2.18m / 7-3.75) lead the men. Multi-event athlete Andrew Kraft is seeded sixth with a bar of 2.10m (6-10.75).
 
Five Lakers compete in women's shot put, beginning at 11 a.m. Seeded one through five in the event, Erika Beistle (18.26m / 59-11), Paige Westra (15.74m / 51-7.75), Avery Lahti (14.62m / 47-11.75), Emily Stinson (14.07m / 46-2) and Sofiabella Amirante (13.86m / 45-5.75) will throw in flight two of the event.
 
Just one GVSU athlete will compete in triple jump, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sophomore Alec Crum leads competition with a personal-best 14.35m (47-1) mark recorded earlier this season.


Men's shot put is slated for 12:45 p.m. Brandon Schirck is seeded second at 17.26m (56-7.5) just ahead of Andrew Berryhill (16.63m / 54-6.75). Kraft will compete in this event, as well, entering competition as the No. 7 seed at 15.26m (50-0.75).
 
Brooke Bowers will close out the field events in women's pole vault. The sophomore is seeded first with a 4.35m (14-3.25) personal-best that leads the competition by more than two feet.
 
The women's and men's mile kickstart the day's running events. Seven Lakers, five women and two men, take the starting line at 12:15 p.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively. All seven race in heat two of their event.
 
Following the mile, a flurry of final events will dominate the day.
 
With qualifying times in the 60m hurdles, Destini Dorkins (8.78q), Dominic Downes (8.01q), Joshua Hurt (8.02q) and Parker Campbell (8.07q) will race in the 60m hurdles finals beginning at 12:45 p.m.
 
Following the hurdles, Catherine Guckenberger (57.28q) and Claire Neumann (55.64q) race in the women's 400m finals ahead of Trannon Aylor (49.03q) and DeMarcus Chapa (48.42q) in the men's finals.
 
Adalyn Liang (7.56q) and Gianni Harris (7.61q) race in the 60m finals at 1:15 p.m before Sam Coyle (6.92q) takes the starting line in the men's finals. The trio will also race in the 200m finals, joined by Desmond Chapa and Joshua Page.
 
Sandwiched in between the 60m and 200m finals are the 800m heats. Katrina Sandman (heat three), Megan Postma, Addison Washler and Lilly Alberts (heat four) will compete in the women's event. Gavin Borger (heat three) will be the sole Laker to race in the men's 800m.
 
The final individual running event of the day is the 3000m. Ten Lakers, five on both sides, will race in the event beginning at 2 p.m.
 
The 4x400m relay closes out the day, beginning with the women's heats at 2:50 p.m. Diaz, Neumann, Catherine Guckenberger and Sydney Roberts will represent GVSU before Aylor, the Chapa twins and Page pass the baton in the men's event.
 
Fans can watch the 2026 GLIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships by purchasing tickets at the door or in advance at svsucardinals.com. Fans can also tune in on FloCollege or follow along with live results provided by Fairchild Sports Timing on Athletic.net.
 

Be sure to follow @GVSUXCTF on Instagram and X and GVSU CC and TF on Facebook for photos, live updates and more. A story recapping the weekend will be posted to gvsulakers.com following the conclusion of the 2026 GLIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships.